The Ravens and Browns are headed for a heavyweight showdown featuring two of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL and the two best defensive units on the planet.
Cleveland edge rusher Myles Garrett has talked the talk this week, and a significant reason stems from a dominant defense that’s been outstanding outside of a few letdown performances.
The Browns rank first in yards allowed (234.8), the fewest given up in the league through nine weeks in 15 years. They’ll look to smother a Ravens offense that rushed for over 130 yards in the first meeting, with Lamar Jackson having one of his most efficient outings of the season.
With kickoff fast approaching, here are five matchups to watch when Baltimore is on offense.
Ravens RT Morgan Moses vs. Browns: Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo
Okoronkwo has played 58% of the defensive snaps, and his versatility gives the Browns another pass-rushing weapon alongside Myles Garrett, defensive end Za’Darius Smith, and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson.
With Baltimore likely committed to double-teaming Garrett, Okoronkwo’s matchup against an injured Morgan Moses could be critical to Sunday’s contest.
Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley vs. Browns DE Myles Garrett
With Stanley sidelined for the first matchup, the Ravens started Patrick Mekari at left tackle against Browns star Myles Garrett. Garrett had a sack and three quarterback hits, but Mekari and the Ravens dominated the matchup overall.
Ronnie Stanley missed the first matchup, and he’ll deal with Garrett, who is tied for second in the NFL with 9.5 sacks. Garrett has at least one sack against Baltimore in five straight games.
Ravens WRs vs. Browns Cornerbacks
Cleveland boasts one of the top cornerback tandems in Denzel Ward and Martin Emerson Jr.
Jim Schwartz is confident in his cornerbacks, and they play man coverage (53.6% of the time, sixth most in the league) more than most teams in the NFL. The Browns have the lowest opponent QBR (18.2) while in man coverage.
Zay Flowers will look to get back on track at two of the NFL’s top coverguys.
Ravens Gus Edwards-Keaton Mitchell vs. Browns Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah-Anthony Walker Jr.
Cleveland is ranked seventh in yards allowed per rush (3.7), but they allowed 131 yards on the ground against Baltimore in the first matchup, and the Colts and Seahawks combined for 282 rushing yards against the Browns.
The added dimension of Keaton Mitchell makes the Ravens’ running game more dynamic.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson vs. Browns DC Jim Schwartz
Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said before the Oct. 1 matchup that his defense was going to “take the fight” to Jackson.
In the first matchup, Cleveland only blitzed Jackson six times, and he completed 2 of 3 passes for 34 yards against the pressure and scrambled the other three times.
Overall Jackson completed 15 of 19 pass attempts for 186 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 27 yards and two more scores, while posting a 142.5 quarterback rating in one of his best performances of the year. Jackson was outstanding on third and fourth downs, completing 7 of 9 passes for 77 yards and two scores.
The Browns blitz opposing quarterback 28.2 percent of the time, which ranks 11th in the league, and Schwartz could choose to sit back in more zone and force Jackson to beat him efficiently.
Ravens TE Mark Andrews vs. Grant Delpit
Andrews can tie Todd Heap for the most receiving scores in franchise history, and he’s done the bulk of his damage against the Browns over his career.
Cleveland has held tight ends to a league-low 19 catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. Andrews had five catches, for 80 yards and two receiving touchdowns in their first matchup. Of Andrews’ 40 career touchdowns, nine of them have come against Cleveland.
Delpit leads the team with 53 tackles, while adding one interception and half of a sack
